Agenda item

To receive a report providing an overview of the proposed activities to be delivered through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Executive Councillor: S Wakeford.

The Cabinet has:

(a)  endorsed the submission of the programme of Huntingdonshire wide UK Shared Prosperity Fund activity;

(b)  delegated authority to the Corporate Director (Place) in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy & Housing and Executive Councillor for Finance & Resources to make amendments to Huntingdonshire programme activity following feedback from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and/or Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority on the proposed programme of activity in response to any changes arising from the Autumn 2022 Budget;

(c)  delegated authority to the Corporate Director (Place), the S151 Officer and Head of Legal Practice in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy & Housing and Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources to:

i)  enter into the Funding Agreement with the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority to enable the delivery of the Huntingdonshire UK Shared Prosperity Fund Programme, including the Rural England Fund;

ii)  enter into all relevant and necessary grant Funding Agreements and contracts for the successful delivery of the Huntingdonshire UK Shared Prosperity Fund programme, including the Rural Fund.

(d)  delegated authority to the Corporate Director (Place) and the S151 Officer in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy & Housing and Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources to re-allocate UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural Fund to existing or new activity to ensure the Huntingdonshire allocation is fully utilised by March 2025; and

(e)  requested an update on the Huntingdonshire programme of activity to both the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Performance & Growth) and Cabinet in March 2023. 

Consideration was given to a report by the Corporate Director (Place) (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) providing an overview of the proposed activities to be delivered through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Huntingdonshire that support the delivery of Council priorities and align with other external funding streams to maximise opportunities to deliver the best outcomes for residents, businesses and place.

The Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy & Housing delivered a comprehensive background to the report drawing particular attention to the recommendations proposed. The Cabinet were informed that the Investment Plan was subject to Government approval and that key deliverables had been linked to funding opportunities as necessary. Attention was then drawn to the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Performance & Growth) where the Panel had expressed their wish to receive an update on the Huntingdonshire programme of activity in three months’ time. Subject to this, the Panel were supportive of the proposals and the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy & Housing advised that he was happy to provide a report back to both Overview and Scrutiny and Cabinet in March 2023.

A question was raised by the Executive Councillor for Leisure, Waste and Street Scene concerning how the actions and deliverables within the Investment Plan would be measured and evaluated. In response, the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy & Housing reported that a number of metrics had already been built into the proposals and that progress against these measures would be included in future update reports.

Following brief discussion on the merits of bringing back a report in March 2023 and having expressed their support for it, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

(a)  to endorse the submission of the programme of Huntingdonshire wide UK Shared Prosperity Fund activity;

(b)  to delegate authority to the Corporate Director (Place) in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy & Housing and Executive Councillor for Finance & Resources to make amendments to Huntingdonshire programme activity following feedback from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and/or Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority on the proposed programme of activity in response to any changes arising from the Autumn 2022 Budget;

(c)  to delegate authority to the Corporate Director (Place), the S151 Officer and Head of Legal Practice in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy & Housing and Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources to:

i)  enter into the Funding Agreement with the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority to enable the delivery of the Huntingdonshire UK Shared Prosperity Fund Programme, including the Rural England Fund;

ii)  enter into all relevant and necessary grant Funding Agreements and contracts for the successful delivery of the Huntingdonshire UK Shared Prosperity Fund programme, including the Rural Fund.

(d)  to delegate authority to the Corporate Director (Place) and the S151 Officer in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy & Housing and Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources to re-allocate UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural Fund to existing or new activity to ensure the Huntingdonshire allocation is fully utilised by March 2025; and

(e)  to request an update on the Huntingdonshire programme of activity to both the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Performance & Growth) and Cabinet in March 2023.